God's Gentle Hands

Manifestations of the Hand of God Guiding 
All Things

Last Friday was the last day of seminary and Lori Day did not show up to spend the last day of the school year with her class who all came to celebrate and express their appreciation to her. She was in the hospital getting prepped for surgery. They found an aneurysm in her brain.

The day before, she had what she described as "the worst headache" of her life. Henceforth, there were many coincidences that made one indubitably aware that God's hand was guiding all things. 

A brain aneurysm, and in her case, a leak from an aneurysm is a very serious matter. 40% do die from a ruptured aneurysm. Of the other 60% who survive, there are complications that require a long, sometimes complicated recovery and in the end, if death does not ensue, there will be deficits that may impact one's quality of life.

Lori defies all odds. The night after her surgery, she woke up, coherent, communicating and annoyed that she will have to stay in the hospital for a while. Today, which is the day after her surgery, we went to see her. She was sitting up and about to have dinner. She had staples on her head and her right thigh was elevated from the angiogram but there she was. It looked like she just had some kind of day surgery. Amazing.

There were many details and coincidences that led to her spectacular outcome---all manifestations of God's love and caring.

Last year in April, Hannah's boyfriend was seriously ill. And throughout the months of his recovery, coincidences and details so spectacular abound even to this very day. It was again, a magnificent show of God's hand. 

It seems to me that ever since I began teaching seminary, I've been privy to these remarkable events in the lives of righteous individuals. But I am sure that every event that fills my cup such that it runneth over is merely a preview of more spectacular events that testify to me of God's abiding love. 

Tonight, a husband will finally sleep well knowing that when he awakes in the morning, his wife will be waiting for his visit while still annoyed that she has to stay in the hospital a little longer. And tonight, Hannah will most likely lovingly hold the hand of the young man who loves her yet another time. And tonight, I will hold my sweet companion next to me grateful that I can hear him breathing. I will smell his sweet scent and fall asleep.

Secrets

Things I Keep To Myself

There was a specific reason why I asked to be considered as seminary teacher. But I will reserve that reason to myself until the time to reveal this reason ever comes. But I can write about the obvious one: because my last child left for college and I anticipated that I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I did not have a reason to wake up, fix myself up and be with young people who can substitute for my need to have some semblance of mothering. But I cannot reveal the first reason because it is still looking for the other pieces of the puzzle.

After weeks of anxiety over decisions and changes that are about to happen, I suddenly woke up one morning feeling joyful. The anxiety was gone. I had prayed ever so fervently for a glimpse of what is to come and I believe my prayer was answered. But I cannot reveal what I saw and felt. It simply refuses to be divulged. I think it is because it is far too important and still needs to find the other pieces of the puzzle. When all things snap together, my heart will quietly burst.


I've seen so many things that are spectacularly amazing for the past year or so.  But some of these things I cannot divulge because articulation by words just seems so inadequate. And I believe that most of what I see is to be enjoyed only by me. This is a first because I usually cannot keep a secret. I start aching to tell someone. So it is very singular that I have all these things that I keep to myself.